With over 100 million Americans living with diabetes (or prediabetes), it’s a serious, but treatable condition. The scary part is that thousands of people are living with diabetes and don’t even realize it. Or, they’re mistaking prediabetic symptoms for something else and ignoring them completely. This is a dangerous way to approach the disease and may result in further complications. To keep yourself safe and healthy, you need to know the early warning signs of diabetes. Here are three of the most common.
1. Excessive Thirst or Hunger
One of the most common and recognizable signs of diabetes is excessive thirst. If you find yourself constantly parched, even after drinking the recommended amount of water for your sex, age, and weight, it may be a sign of diabetes. Excessive thirst (in the case of a diabetic) is due to the increase of glucose (sugar) in the blood. This sugar builds up over time, causing kidney complications. Your kidneys filter sugar through your blood and expel it as urine. When your body is producing excess amounts of sugar, your kidneys struggle to keep up. As this built up sugar is expelled through your urine, it also carries fluids from tissues inside your body. The loss of these fluids is what causes excessive thirst.
But if you’re feeling extra hungry too, it may mean more than just packing on a few extra pounds! Because your glucose production and distribution are compromised when you have diabetes, you may lack adequate sugar in certain parts of your body. This leads to fatigue, which can then increase hunger. The problem is, eating won’t suppress this type of hunger. In fact, eating carbohydrates or foods high in sugar might actually make your condition worse. Excess hunger may be a sign of a different condition as well, so it’s in your best interest to see a medical professional. An internist is trained in treating the whole body. Before choosing a doctor, get recommendations and read reviews, like these Dr. Andre Posner 2019 news and patient reviews.
2. Fatigue
We all feel tired from time to time, but fatigue is something different. If you’re feeling weak, lethargic, and lack the energy to complete daily tasks, it may be a sign of diabetes. Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar levels, can cause a dip in energy levels, alertness, and may even cause dizzy spells. Dehydration (due to frequent urination) can also cause fatigue in diabetics. When diabetes goes untreated for long periods of time, it can compromise your liver, kidneys, and heart, and in-turn, cause fatigue. If your weakness is uncharacteristic or unexplained, it could be a sign of diabetes.
3. Skin Infections or Slow Healing Wounds
Accidents happen. We’ve all bruised, cut, or scraped ourselves while performing daily tasks. But is that cut from last week still there? Does the bruise look and feel worse than ever? Wounds that heal more slowly is a tell-tale sign of diabetes. High glucose levels in the body can (over time) affect your nerves and circulation. Poor blood flow to injured areas slows down the healing process. Because the health of your skin is already compromised, skin infections are another common sign of diabetes. You may develop a fungal or bacterial infection accompanied by itching and redness. A common infection among diabetics is Staphylococcus and is marked by inflamed boils in the hair follicles of the skin. These are more commonly known as Staph infections, and while anyone can contract one, they are more common and more serious among diabetics.
The best way to treat diabetes and get your blood sugar under control is to understand the early warning signs. These are just a few signs that you may be prediabetic. Ask your doctor for a blood test that will help determine your condition. The good news is, a combination of medication, diet, and lifestyle changes will help you lead a happy, active life even after your diabetes diagnosis.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
